BBRae Week 2018
by Lou Buggins
Summary: A collection of prompts given for BBRae Week this year.
1. Day 1

**Author's Notes: Well this might be total crap since I didn't have time to proofread and I rushed the ending, but hey, at least I got it posted in time! That counts for something, right?**

* * *

 _ **Can't Help Falling in Love**_

The Titan common room was completely bear when a sudden drop in temperature could be felt, followed by an obsidian portal swirling open and spitting out a blue-hooded figure. The said figure, whose navy blue cloak billowed out behind her as she walked, went straight for the titanium door in front of her. The door "swooshed" open, the sound echoing through the empty hall on the other side. As the sorecess traveled down the hall, she took a moment to relish in the silence it provided. It was the rarest of opportunities for the tower to be so quiet, she could hear the faint buzzing of the electricity that pulsed through its walls and gave life to the tower's state-of-the-art technology and security system.

The tower's other residents were all supposedly out on separate errands, making good use of the day off that had provided itself. Robin and Starfire had taken advantage of the free time to participate in what Starfire refers to as "the day of shopping," which she was thankful for not having to be apart of since the alien's boyfriend wonder was now able to fill in as the role of caddy for Star's many purchases. Her other friend, Cyborg, had mentioned something about finding new parts for the T-car, his favorite tinker-project. He would be gone all day if the universe allows it. The last remaining resident was the comedic shape-shifter, Beast Boy, and she recalled him mentioning a sale on a video game that had sparked his interest, so she assumed that was where he was currently spending his day. As for her, she had hoped to stop by the bookstore to restock on her reading material, but it was just her luck to have forgotten a very important item needed to complete her mission - her wallet.

When the door to her bedroom slid open, she saw the object of her thoughts laying on the thick, plum duvet of her bed. Letting out a sigh that was mixed with relief and slight annoyance, she took a few long strides over to the edge of the mattress and grabbed her round blue pouch filled with cash and change. Just as she clutched her wallet, a soft strumming of strings floated to her ears. She paused at the sound and listened to the calming melody as her brain attempted to decipher the source of the pleasant sound.

 _"A guitar?"_ She thought to herself as she stepped to her door and peeked into the narrow hallway. She tilted her head like an owl listening for the scampering of mice on a dark, forest floor. Her ears toned in on the direction the lovely song was coming from, and her violet eyes widen with great surprise. _"He's still here?"_ Curiosity pulled her out of her hiding place and she went to the other door down the hall like a moth to a flame.

Once she was only centimeters from the man-made divider, she brushed her hands along the cold metal frame and leaned her body into the hard steel. She pressed her ear against the door, straining to hear each note clearly. She listened for a moment, allowing herself the pleasure of enjoying the soothing rhythm that wrapped her body in a tranquil embrace. It was when she heard the added vocals that she jumped back from the door like a startled cat just sprayed with water.

"Wise men say, only fools rush in…"

His voice. She had heard him speak countless times, heard him laugh, cry, and shout. But never had she heard, in all the years she had known him, use his voice to sing. His voice held its usual raspiness, but it was smooth and blended well to his deep humming. It was something about the way he sounded that sent goosebumps spreading up her arms and made her stomach drop.

The need to hear his voice again overcame her, so she closed the gap in between her and the door. She pressed her ear back on the cold, sheet metal, but this time it was the absence of sound that startled her, followed by the sound of shuffling feet. Before she could react, the door to the bedroom slid back, causing Raven to stumble backward and let out a surprised gasp.

Now standing in front of her was the eighteen-year-old boy with jade-colored skin, messy green locks, and deep emerald eyes that looked back at the empath with confusion.

"Rae?" He questioned with a slight tilt of his head and knitted eyebrows.

"Uh, um, hello Beast Boy." She replied lamely as she attempted to recompose herself.

The young man, dressed in his new red and white suit, gripped the frame of the door and leaned into it. His other hand found the back of his neck and he scratched the back of his head. "What are you doing back so soon?" He asked her, equally nervous.

"I had to, um, pick up my wallet. Can't really buy anything without currency, you know?" She shrugged and looked away, her eyes falling to the floor. She was mentally beating herself up for getting caught doing…whatever it was she was doing, and for referring to her money as currency.

The changeling's emerald gaze bore into her, and it took all she had not to bolt right then and there. "Right. So we're just going to skip over the fact that you've been stalking my door?"

His accusation was enough to earn one of her signature glares, and she scuffed in response. "I wasn't stalking-"

"Which is exactly what a stalker would say." He cut in, causing her to fume.

She opened her mouth to comeback his accusation, but noticed the smirk of his lips and the playful gleam in his eyes, telling her he was goading her and that by continuing, she'd only make things worse.

"Alright fine." She relented and crossed her arms. "I was listening through your door, but only because I was curious about the sound I was hearing."

Her blunt admission came to him unexpectedly. "Oh, so, you heard that?" He chuckled nervously.

She gave him a small nod.

"Alright." He sighed. "You got me. I play the guitar, but please don't say anything to the other's, they'll never let me live it down."

"I suppose you're right." The demoness agreed. "Besides, it's not my secret to tell anyway. "

Her willingness to comply with his terms flooded him with relief.

"But I do have some questions."

And that's what he was afraid of. With an anxious gulp, he nodded his head and gestured for her to come into his room.

"Well come in then, and I'll try to answer them the best I can."

With another nod of her head, Raven stepped past him and made her way to the edge of his bunk bed, which was probably the only thing he had yet to grow out of. That and video games. His cleanliness had improved greatly, and now the only flaw to his room was the pile of dirty clothes that he kept in the corner, along with some miscellaneous items scattered around and an unmade bed. It would be unfair of her to expect much better from a teenage boy.

As she took a seat, he shut the door and went over to his desk, where a traditional-looking guitar sat up against the legs of the table. Raven eyed the instrument curiously as the boy took a seat in his desk chair in front of her. He rolled the chair closer to her, then leaned forward with his hands folded and in his lap.

"So, what do you want to know?"

Her amethyst gaze met his own as she thought of her first question.

"Where did you get a guitar, and how did you learn to play it?"

"That's uh, kind of a long answer. See, when I became, well me," He gestured to himself. "I got a lot of nifty tricks that came along with it. One of which is my super hearing."

Raven hummed, leading him to continue. "Which I guess also gave me this thing called perfect pitch."

"I'm familiar with the term."

"Alright, well the perfect pitch thing makes learning to play instruments super easy. All I have to do is hear a song, and usually, I'm able to repeat what I hear."

"Interesting, so that song you were playing, it wasn't original? It was just something you heard?"

The green shape-shifter could not contain his laughter as he threw his head back like and clutched his stomach.

"You-you thought I wrote that?" He said in between laughs.

"Well not anymore." She retorted as glared at him.

"Wow, so you mean to tell me you haven't heard Can't Help Falling in Love by Elvis Presley, the king himself?" He asked with astonishment.

"King of what?"

This made the young hero almost fall out of his chair. "Holy shit, Batman! You don't know who Elvis Presley is?"

"No, but I have a feeling I am about to."

"He's only the king of Rock and Roll, and one of the most iconic singers of all time!" The green teen explained while waving his hands.

"Oh, is he that guy with the strange hair and funny looking costume?"

Beast Boy jumped out of his chair and went over to his closet, shaking his head. "I can't even with you Raven."

"What? I'm sorry. You have a habit of forgetting that I'm not from Earth. Pop-culture references aren't my strong suit." She defended herself, while subconsciously trying to turn away. Why did she suddenly feel so small?

"Well then consider it my duty as an Earth representative to expose you to an American classic." He told her as he swung open his closet door.

"What are you doing?"

"Just wait."

So she did, and as she did she observed him as he dug through his closet and pulled out a large, wooden box and carried it to his desk where he laid it down with a light thud. He then went back to his closet and this time he came out with a flat, square object that had a picture of a man's face dressed as if he were on vacation in Hawaii. Raven's curiosity grew when a back disk slid out of the cover and into Beast Boy's awaiting hands. He held the oversized disk out by it's edges and blew a puff of air over it, blowing away a layer of dust that had accumulated over it. Then he held the disk with one hand and opened the box with another. He placed the disk inside the box, and with the push of a button, the disk began to spin.

"What is that?" She asked, no longer able to contain her amazement.

"It's called a record player. And you'll see what it does as soon as I put this," He said as he grabbed the needle, "on the record." As soon as the stylus touched the smooth, black surface, a gentle strumming of guitar strings sounded for it, and the tone it played sounded very familiar.

Then she heard his voice, deep and thick, like honey. He sang the same words as Beast Boy, but his voice was much smoother and polished. Clearly, this man was a professional singer.

"This is Elvis Presley, he was one of my Dad's favorites, as well as mine." Beast Boy explained before stepping back over to her and extending his gloved hand.

"Wanna dance?"

"Oh Beast Boy, I don't think that's a good idea."

"What? You don't know how to dance either? Don't worry Rae, you've taught me lot's of stuff, now let me finally return the favor."

With a defeated sigh, Raven slid her petite, pale hand into his own and allowed him to gently pull her up. She followed him to the center of the room, then he turned and placed his other hand on her side. Not knowing where else to put her free hand, she laid it on his shoulder. Without saying a word, he gently swayed their bodies side to side and moved in a small circle around the room. The music continued to play, but Raven was too focused on her racing heart to listen to the lyrics. She tried to avoid his stare, but could not control her urge to see his face. He was looking down at their feet, and mouthing numbers with each step.

A small smile pulled at her lips, followed by a light blush. She took in his freckled cheeks, his pointed ears, and the rest of his boyish features. With his now chiseled jaw and light five o'clock shadow, she began to realize that the boy she was dancing with was no longer a cute boy, but a handsome man. A fact that both terrified her and excited her.

 _"For I can't help falling in love with you."_

"So yeah, that's where that song came from." He said as he took a step back and released her hands to scratch the back of his neck. The absence of his body close to her's made her feel strangely disappointed.

"Show me more." She blurted out before she had time to think over her own words. She played with her fingers and dropped her gaze, suddenly feeling very self-conscious. "Please?" She amended.

He studied her for a moment, not use to her willingness to participate in activities with him, especially on her own.

"O-okay." He stuttered as he took a step backward. "I'll go, um, find another record. Yeah."

As he went back over to his closet, Raven's eyes drifted over to the antique record player with only one thought on her mind.

 _"Crap."_


	2. Day 2

**Short, but sweet today!**

 ** _Pet Names_**

The middle-aged body of Garfield Logan sat upright in the driver's seat of the specially-made vehicle, his emerald eyes watching the road as he gently applied the gas. "How about sugar?" He asked, sparing a glance over at the similarly aged woman who sat comfortably beside him with her nose stuck in a book.

"No." She sighed as she turned a page.

There was a brief pause between them before he gave her another offer. "Pumpkin?"

She shook her head vigorously. "Absolutely not."

He let out a huff, then allowed his eyes to drift towards the small mom and pop stores that hid under the massive city skyscrapers. While still keeping one eye on the road, he noticed a neat little French bakery, which gave him yet another idea. "Muffin?"

She let out a defeated groan, then finally spared him a glance. Her amethyst eyes looked at him with mild annoyance. "Why are you stuck on food?"

"I can't help it, I'm hungry!" He exclaimed with a shrug. "Besides, those are all pretty staple pet names."

"You mean cliche." She corrected as she set aside her book. "We've been over this a hundred twenty-six times, Gar. No. Dog."

"But Raaaaaaven…" He whined like a child as he brought the car to a stop at the red light. He took his opportunity to turn her way and gave her the biggest, puppy-dog look he could muster.

"Don't 'but Raven' me. I already have three animals to care for, I'm not adding to that list." She scolded as she looked away, knowing she'd cave if she met his insufferable "face".

Seeing that his "look" was not getting him anywhere, he let out a loud groan, while bringing his attention back to the road. "And like I've told you before, turning into a dog is not the same as having one." The car pulled through the intersection as they continued to their destination.

She crossed her arms over her chest with a scowl on her face. "Still another living thing I would be stuck taken care of."

Garfield glared at her through the corner of his eyes. "You aren't stuck doing anything." He protested as he flicked on the right turn signal. "You _chose_ to marry me and you _chose_ to be a stay-at-home mom. Stop making it sound like I'm a bad husband and father."

Raven spared him another glance and her scowl fell into a frown. She didn't need her empathy to know her phrasing had hit a nerve with him and she mentally kicked her herself for it. They have both been a little on edge lately, what with his recent promotion and everything. It was hard for her to be alone with the kids all day, every day, but she knew it was just as hard on him, maybe even more so.

"Hey, I'm sorry." She told him as she laid her hand on top of his right hand that was clutching the gear shift. "You're a wonderful husband and the best father I know. You know I didn't mean it like that."

Hearing her say that brought him some much need reassurance. There was nothing in this world that meant more to him than his family. He loved his job, but he loved her far more. And he knew what it was like to grow up without a Dad, or with one that cared more about "work" than his loved ones. He'd be damned if he ever made his kids go through that. "I know. I guess, this promotion just has me so busy lately and I...I just don't want to be one of those dad's."

Raven squeezed his hand and allowed her mental barriers to open up enough to where she just feel his worry and his guilt. Then realization struck her.

"That's why you want to get a dog. You know the kids miss you and your feeling guilty about spending less time with them." She spoke her theory out loud, stating it plainly. It felt weird for Gar to hear it out loud, but she had hit the nail on the head. Just a perk of being an empath.

"A dog could play with them when I can't and watch over them when neither of us is around." He tried to explain, but she merely scuffed at him.

"Garfield, I'm not letting a dog parent our children."

Her outlandish statemate made the changeling toss his head back and roar with laughter.

"Well when you phrase it like that, it does sound pretty silly." He chuckled as he put on his signal once again and turned the car into a small parking lot.

"You just need to work on setting boundaries between work and home. Make it clear to everyone, Dick included, that during work hours your his, but during personal time, you're ours."

"Okay Rae, your right. I need to set _boundaries_." He repeated the word to make sure he remembered.

Raven looked over at him, and when their eyes met, she gave him a terrifying stare. "And if Dick gives you a hard time, tell him to speak to me about it." She said as a tiny fire lit in her eyes.

Garfield returned the look with a seductive smile. "I love it when you get all protective, Cookie."

Raven's evil grin vanished at the use of that ridiculous pet name. "You're still hungry aren't you?" She mumbled as she removed her hand from his own, pinched her temple and scrunched her nose.

"Very."


	3. Day 3

**_Warning: Angst! Mentions of cancer, suicide, character death, and torture. Not as bad as it sounds though! There's a happy ending, I swear!_**

 _ **Alone Together**_

An older man with green tinted skin sat on the edge of a black leather rolling chair, with his back hunched and his calloused and clawed hands wrapped firmly around a weak, pale hand belonging to the prone, sickly form of an older woman. His eyes were bloodshot and bruised by his own hands as he had repeatedly wiped them free of tears. Those exhausted emerald eyes burned into the figure lying on the hospital-style cot, the fire in them both begging her to stay and threatening her if she should leave.

Her stomach rose up and down with every agonizing, shallow breath she took. The rest of her body remained unmoving, and the pillows that had been set up behind her shoulders were the only way to keep her head up. Even her naturally pale complexion had lost some of its luster. Her current state was the only proof of her life-long battles. From birth, she had fought to stay alive. In youth, she had fought to save, and as an adult, she had fought to protect. Each battle had brought its own unique challenges, and each came with its own brand of suffering, but none had shown on her body for as long as this. Her glazed, fading amethyst eyes were the only scars she bore now. Those heartbroken, pining eyes met the man she loved, begging him to leave and threatening him if he should stay.

The two stubborn lovers held their stares, neither ready to back down yet. The man gave her hand a gentle squeeze, and a fake, but reassuring smile.

"Just hang in there, Rae. It won't be long now." He cooed to her like he would to their children during a long car ride.

"Gar…" The woman rasped, but he already knew what she wanted to say.

"We've already tried so many cures, I know." He tilted his head in an endearing fashion, his unkempt hair falling to the side and his pointed ears twitching. "But that just means this next one has to be it!" He said with false hope. He had always been the optimist, Raven learned over the years that it wasn't for the sake of others though, it was for his own sanity.

"Gar…" She repeated, this time earning her his silence. He looked at her with desperation, clinging to her hand for dear life. "It's time."

"No!" He shouted as a growl following in his throat. "You're not leaving, Raven!" His feral eyes were washed away by the hot tears that filled them. He shook his head violently and scooted closer to her. "Y-you can't leave. You-you have to-to keep fighting." He ordered, but the words died on his lips. Leaning forward, he touched his forehead to her own, their eyes shutting upon the contact. "Please." He whispered, his warm breath kissing her ice-cold skin.

"I love you, Garfield." She whispered back, her small, signature smile gracing her lips. They both opened their eyes, but never pulled away.

"I-I love you, Raven." He told her as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Thank you...for never giving up...on me." She told him as her eyes began to close once more, and her head fell to the side.

"Raven!" The man screamed as he jumped out of his seat, the chair flying backward behind him. "Raven!"

The monitor she was hooked up to began to blare and a straight line took over the screen.

"Vic! Dick! Somebody! Help!" The man grabbed his wife by her shoulders and shook her as hard as he could. His mind felt like it was racing, but really he only had one thought playing in his head. He screamed and began pressing his hands on her chest, making rapid compressions.

"Help me! Somebody! Help me!"

Large, jade bear eyes flew open and the furred creature let out a pained roar that shook the rocky walls of his cave. The green grizzly bear shrunk into an Arctic Wolf and ran out of the mouth of the cave. The wolf howled and whined as he ran haphazardly through the snow-covered forest. He rubbed the sides of his head against the frozen ground and pawed at his ears. Then the wolf shrunk some more, this time transforming into a Northern Goshawk, and took off for the sky, going as fast and as far away from his memories as his form would allow him.

#~#~#

The frozen tundra of Canada was a quiet place during the dark winter months when the roaring ball of fire that normally floated overhead was nothing but a legend. Instead, only the bright-shining moon and the twinkling stars provided light onto the almost uninhabitable part of the world, but even they were lost to the consuming nimbostratus clouds that covered them. The few creatures that call this barren land home were already tucked away from the vicious elements that hunted them. Leaving room for only the sounds of the wind and snow's creation to sweep across the frozen landscape. That was until a pile of feathers and bones came crashing down from the sky, breaking the flimsy branches of the sleeping trees and skidding across a thick layer of powdery snow. The body lay in the hole it had created, it's forest-green color sticking out amongst the pure white snow. There it stayed, the body only moving up and down with shallow breaths. Snowflakes rained down upon it, lightly dusting it with precipitation.

The bird remained there for some time, but as to exactly how long, no one would ever know. The small forest creatures that watched with curiosity were frightened when the Goshawk's body stretched and grew until the bird of prey disappeared and a grizzled old man took its place. The man's body violently shook as it became exposed to the below freezing temperatures, but also by the man's wretched sobs. His salty tears fell to the ground to join the snow and his stained face became red from the onslaught of wind that was biting at him.

"Damn it to Hell!" He cried out, his voice carrying with the wind, as he punched the icy ground. Snow sprayed into the air from his hit, and some skidded across the flat layer of ice that covered a once flowing river. Through his blurred vision, he caught sight of this and looked up to see the ice that stretched for miles. "Finally." He mumbled as he used the last of strength to push himself up. He grunted as he tried to fight against the screaming pain that shot through his muscles. Stumbling over the slippery ice, he fell to his knees and slid out into the center of the frozen river.

With his head bowed, his overgrown hair hung past his face. His calloused and clawed hands held him in place, the claws digging into the ice like a rig. Each long drag of cold air made his lungs burn, but he ignored the pain. Instead, he blinked away his tears and stared into the icy layer that was the only thing separating him from death. Untamed anger bubbled up inside him, and he threw his head back and roared.

"She's gone! You took her from me! But I will not let you win so easily." He ended with a snarl.

"You should know by now, that we're a packaged set! When she hurts, I will hurt. What she endures, I will endure. Where she goes, I will follow! Those were my vows to her, and I will not break them!" He released his hold on the ice and extended his arms. "So take me now, or I will do it myself!"

He waited. Seconds turned into minutes, the rest of the world continues on, and it became clear that once again his prayers would go ignored. His eyes turned to slits and a low growl rumbled in his chest. He screamed, throwing his fists down onto the ice. It cracked under the pressure, but it was not enough to break through. His hands were now bloodied and he hissed as he felt the pain of his now broken bones.

"Why!" He shouted to the sky as he fell back and clasped on top of the river. More tears streamed down his cheeks, and pitiful sobs racked his body.

As he laid on the ice, a bright white light shone on top of him. Instinctively, he shielded his eyes from the blinding light. When the light pulled back, he was able to peer over his arm to see the angelic form of a woman dressed in a white cloak, with matching violet eyes and hair. She looked at him with sadness and concern glowing in her eyes. Slowly she moved, closing the gap between them. He didn't so much as blink when she came towards him, his thoughts too preoccupied with the figure to bear a reaction. When the woman was only a heartbeat away, she knelt down, her cloak falling around her and extended her pale hand to gently brush his long hair away from his eyes. As soon as her smooth fingertips touched his skin, all the cold and pain he had felt melted away, and for the first time since his love had died, he felt warmth and peace.

"Raven." He whispered her name as he leaned into her familiar touch. With a deep breath through his nose, he inhaled her sweet and intimate scent. Fresh tears poured from his eyes, but this time they filled him with joy. His broken hand shook as he lifted it towards her cheek, but he was terrified to touch her, fearing that if he did, she would disappear. Sensing his hesitation, she wrapped her own hand over his and brought to her cheek, where she held it there and allowed the corner of her lips to raise up in a small smile.

"Garfield." She whispered back whiling meeting his emerald gaze.

"I missed you, Rae." His voice cracked through the tears.

Raven's smile faded, and she leaned forward, closing her eyes and pressing her now golden chakra stone against his forehead. Instantly, he saw he oldest daughter, Maria, putting her own daughter to sleep.

"Mommy, when's Poppop coming back?" He heard the young voice of his granddaughter ask.

Her mother's eyes fell to the floor, while she sat at the foot of the bed. Gar could not help but notice how red and tired they were.

"I don't know, Baby. But I hope it's soon."

"Is he okay?"

"He's hurting right now, Sweetheart. Just like all of us, but you have to remember, your Poppop is the best hero out there. He can take care of himself."

"But I miss him, Mommy."

"I know. So do I."

Then as quickly as he had seen it, the vision vanished and was replaced with a view of the backside of a man who almost mirrored him in appearance, had he been 20 years younger. The younger man appeared to be standing in front of a modestly sized gravestone just outside of the tower where they all had once called home.

"I can't stay here anymore, Mom. It's-it's not hard." The young man, Gar's only son, spoke to the stone with pain lining his voice. "Dad had the right idea. Being here just brings back too many memories. And I know Maria doesn't want me to go, but Dad and Arella already left. I think I deserve some time away too." He began to pace beside the grave, his hands pulling at his unkempt hair. "I'm sorry Mom. I really am. I just...I need to get away. From the tower. From the Titans. From...from this!" he gestured to the grave. "This constant reminder of how I failed you." He turned away, using the sleeve of his uniform to wipe away the tears streaming down his face. "Good-bye, Mom. Wherever you are, I hope you can forgive me." With his parting words, he ran from the grave and transformed into a falcon, soaring into the air and disappearing into the night sky.

Once again, Gar was jerked away from the vision and dropped into another scene playing out before him. This was a place he did not recognize. It was a large room, with varies torture devices scattered about. It was poorly lit and stunk of sulfur and ash.

"Please! Have mercy!"

The terrified scream grabbed Gar's attention and he spun around to find some poor creature chained to a wall. He was covered in blood and cuts, and his face was twisted in agony.

"Why should I! Did you show mercy when you possessed that poor woman! When you made her go insane! When you made her hurt her own family!"

From the corner of his eyes, Gar followed the demonic roar to a young woman sporting a pair of flaming red eyes and a crescent-shaped knife that was clutched tightly in her hand. She flew past Gar and headed straight from the creature chained to the wall. Without hesitation, she stabbed the knife into its side, making it whither and howl in pain.

"Feel better?"

Another voice entered the room, this time much more familiar. Gar would know that British accent anywhere.

The woman held the knife in place for a few moments, as she caught her breath and thought his words over.

"No." She sighed as she yanked the knife out releasing another bloodcurdling scream from her pin cushion. Gar noticed her eyes had lost their fire and were now a light green with purple specks. She walked away from the wall and away from Gar as she approached a table with various weapons laid out. The man with the British accent stood beside it, watching her carefully as she used a towel to clean off the knife.

"I told you torture doesn't help with grief." He told her simply, earning him a deadly glare.

"Really? I told you so? Is that really what you want to say to me while I'm holding a Hell-forged knife?" She questioned as she twirled the object with her fingers.

He smirked and shook his head in disapproval. "Threatening me won't get you very far either."

"And like I told you when I came down here, it's worth a shot." She jeered as she slammed the knife onto the table, making the other weapons jump and the table shake.

This time the man's cocky expression softened and he tenderly reached out and took her arm. She looked at where he had placed his hand but made no move to remove it.

"I understand why your upset, Love. What I don't understand is why you are so angry?"

She slowly lifted her gaze so that she met his worried and affectionate red eyes. "Because it's my fault they're both gone." She told him solemnly.

He gave her arm a comforting squeeze. "I know you feel guilty, but you shouldn't. You did everything you could to save her. We both did. There is no one to blame, and I know that only makes this harder, but it's the truth. And you're father will return soon, I'm sure. We all just need some time to grieve."

The demoness closed her eyes and shook her head. She stepped forward and fell into his embrace, her head burrowing into his chest and tears welling in her eyes.

"But why would he want to come back to the kids who failed him?" She croaked as a sob wracked her petite form.

The nicely dressed man ran his hand through her long, silky hair, then placed a loving kiss on top of her head. He learned a long time ago to not be bothered by her tears drenching his suits.

"Oh, my sweet Arella, who could ever stay away from you?" He murmured into her lavender hair.

The vision then faded into nothingness, and Gar was once again thrown into another setting. This time the room did look familiar to him. It was the main conference room at Titan Headquarters. It had a large round table with white, egg-shaped chairs. There were enough chairs for twenty people, but Gar only noticed three being used.

"I'm worried about him, Rob. It's been 3 months since we've last heard from him. He isn't the type to just go off the grid like that. Especially, for that long."

"I agree with Friend Victor. I spoke with our son and he has told me that neither of Friend Garfield's children has heard from him either. That is the most, unlike Friend Garfield."

"Well, I wanted to give him his space. I couldn't imagine what he's going through right now, but perhaps enough time as past. We all at least have the right to know he's safe. I'll send out a Missing Titan alert tomorrow morning. See if we can at least track him down."

"Thank you, beloved. I am sure his family would be the grateful."

"Of course, Kori, we're his family too."

"And I'll be the first one out there tomorrow lookin' for him! I've known that Grass Stain too long now! Ain't no way he can hide from me!"

The view of the metal man, the alien princess, and their human leader faded away, and Gar was left staring into a pair of amethyst eyes that blinked back at him knowingly.

Raven reached over and pressed her hand against his chest, were his heartbeat lightly pounded against her touch.

"I know you think you're alone, but your not."

It was such a silly thing he had said all those years ago, but for some reason, they carried so much weight with her. He recalled her pulling him in for an awkward hug, so touched by his simple phrase that she forgot, for just a moment, every cautious thought she had ever had. He never did understand why what he said meant that much to her, until she repeated the words back to him just now. His eyes widened with sudden clarity and he jolted upright, her angelic form gone and forgotten.

"My family. They need me." He gasped as he lurched forward in an attempt to stand, but double back in pain.

Realizing he was in no shape to travel home, he pulled out of his pocket, a small and round device with a T etched in the back of it.

"Please work." He mumbled himself as he pressed the power button with his finger, swallowing the pain that shot up his still broken hand. The little screen lit up and the home screen flashed before him, much to his relief. He touched the screen with his thumb, and suddenly the whole screen flashed red, sending out an endless pattern of beeps in the process. "There." He said as he shoved the device back in his pocket. "Come and find me, Vic."

And with that, he shape-shifted into a frog and allowed himself to become frozen in the snow.


End file.
